Tuesday, 27 January 2009

Preparing for tomorrow's demonstration at Styal Prison, Cheshire

The call for protest comes after the latest self-inflicted death of mother Alison Colk at HMP Styal on 8 January, 2009.

The campaigning organisation ‘INQUEST’ has referred to Styal as:‘ a prison with a disturbing history of deaths of vulnerable women’.

INQUEST SAID:

"It is deeply shocking that a woman has died one day into her sentence. Vital questions need to be asked about what possible justification can there be in sentencing a woman to just 28 days. Despite high level scrutiny of Styal prison, serious concerns remain about the safety and quality of life for women held there and why lessons from previous deaths appear not to have been learned. Unless more women are diverted from prison the increase in self inflicted deaths and the associated high levels of self harm, mental distress and family disruption will continue". Deborah Coles, for INQUEST